Macklemore faced backlash for his "free Palestine" statement during his September 4 performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
The Grammy winner told the audience that he wanted the people in Gaza and the West Bank to know that he had not forgotten them.
Following this, the Israeli American Council filed a petition demanding removal of the musician rom the remaining Sheeran’s Loop tour.
Rapper Macklemore’s onstage plea to “free Palestine” while opening for Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour triggered controversy with the Israeli American Council demanding for his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour. Following the backlash, he clarified that his calls for “peace” isn't a “criticism” of Jewish people.
Macklemore clarifies his “free Palestine” plea
During his second night opening for Sheeran at the MetLife Stadium, Macklemore said, “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, in no way is a criticism of you (via Newsweek). My message is for peace, love (and) for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”
“So I say free Palestine. I say free Lebanon. I say free Cuba. I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE,” he added. “None of us will be free until we are all free.”
About Macklemore’s “free Palestine” controversy
During his Friday night concert, Macklemore told the crowd that he wanted the people in Gaza and the West Bank to know that he had not forgotten them. “I believe that every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom.”
Macklemore's “free Palestine” statement received backlash from the Israeli American Council, with a petition calling for the removal of the four-time Grammy winner from the remaining Sheeran’s Loop tour.
The petition remained unsuccessful and Macklemore performed as scheduled on September 5.
He shared a video on Instagram on Monday “wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”
“One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here onstage on stages and stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: free Palestine,” Macklemore said to the MetLife crowd.
“I said free Palestine. I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people from Gaza, all the way to occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.”
His remarks followed his introduction of Hind’s Hall, a song the rapper titled after the name pro-Palestinian student protestors gave to a Columbia University building they occupied after the killing of 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab.
He said the song was “inspired by the bravery of Columbia University students who led an encampment movement that mobilized the entire world.”
